Train-order signal.



L; H. VAN ZANDT.

TRAIN ORDER SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8,1908.

905,120. Patented Nov; 24, 1908.

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L. H. VAN ZANDT.

' TRAIN ORDER SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED APB..8,1908.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

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entree STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER H. VAN ZANDT, OF FORTWORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GATES SAFETYSIGNAL BOARD ATTAOHMENT OOMPANY, OFAUBREY) TEXAS, A CORPORATION OFTEXAS.

TRAIN-ORDER SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER H. VAN ZANDT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Fort Worth, county of Tarrant, and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-OrderSignals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain locking devices for the use of operatorsor train despatchers to prevent accidental or intentional removal oftrain order pads without displaying a signal or semaphore and to deviceswhich will be automatically actuated to release the train'order padswhen the signal is displayed or placed at danger and to devices forpreventing the clearing of the signal until the train order pad isreplaced.

This invention also includes devices for temporarily releasing thesignal locking de-. vices, and to prevent the signals remaining clearedI have provided devices for giving an alarm and continuing the alarmuntil the signals or signal are or is displayed or placed to danger. I

The object of this invention is to provide simple and inexpensivedevices which will operate with extreme accuracy and positiveness tocarr out or accomplish the purposes above set orth and which cannot bedisarranged by any ordinary means.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the followingdescription and the invention will be more particularly pointed out inthe claims. a

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisapplication and specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a receptacle containing the improvementshereinafter set forth in detail. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cam and crank shaft. Fig. 4 is adetail view of the plunger which carries the locks. Fig. 5 is a detailView of thecontact makingdevices. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of thedevice with the'side casing removed to expose the interior mechanism.Fig. 7 is a detail view,-

being a side elevation of one of the plungers which looks the semaphoreor signal displayed while a train order pad is removed, and which servesas means for temporarily releasing the semaphore or signal. Fig. 8 is aninterior elevation of the back piece of the receptacle, showing theplungers and the cam and crank shaft in place. Fig. 9 is a plan view ofthe back piece of the receptacle. Fig. 10 is a plan view of one of thepad holders. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the unlocking yoke. Fig. 12 is avertical crosssection of the cam and crank shaft on the line m ew ofFig. 3.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same partsthroughout the several views. 7 I

The machine has an open front casing, as

seen Figs. 2 and 6, with the other five sides closed. 7 A series ofshelves 1 are mounted in the casing. On each shelf is mounted a padholder 2 which rests on the shelf 1. A train order pad is to be placedin each pad holder. This may be done by buckling the pad slightly andslipping the edges of the pad under the lips 3 and 4.

The pad holders are held in the casing by means of a series of locks 5which are pivotally attached in slots in a vertically movable plunger 6.A spring 7 holds the plunger 6 in its normally elevated position.

A crank shaft 8 is journaled in boxes which are rigid with the sides ofthe casing. This shaft 8 has a cam 10 integral therewith. This cam willbe called the plunger-lockingcam. A plunger actuating cam 11 is alsointegral with the shaft 8. A lug 12 is formed integral with the shaft 8for locking the alarm in operating position. The shaft 8 is providedwith a crank or handle 13 by which this shaft is operated. The shaft 8is rocked 45 degreesjorwhatever number of degrees the shaft is to beturned to cause the cam 11 to engage the lug 14 on the lower end ofplunger 6. The cam 11 is thus used to lower all the locks 5 so that anyone or all the pad. holders may be removed from the casing. A semaphoreor signal is actuated by the shaft 8 at the same time the locks arelowered, the semaphore being brought to danger. A pulley 15 is mountedon the shaft 8 and a cord or cable 16 is attached at both ends to thepulley 15 and extended to the semaphore shaft 18, being guided bysuitable idle pulleys 17 When the lever orhandle 13 is moved 45 degreestwo things i are accomplished. The pad holders are unlocked and thesemaphore is brought to danger. When the lever 13 is brought back tostarting position, the semaphore is cleared and the pad holders are allsimultaneously locked in the casing, the cam 11 being disengaged fromthe lug 14 and the plunger 6 being pressed up by the spring 7.

Whenever a pad holder is removed the semaphore is locked to dangerposition. There is a plunger 19 for each pad holder 2. Each plunger 19is provided with an arm 20. Each arm 20 rests on the pad holder 2 andthe plunger 19 is thus supported, but when a pad holder is removed theplunger arm 20, not being supported by a pad holder, drops down and theplunger 19 drops down at the same time and falls behind the cam 10 andrests on the shaft 8. All the plungers 19 with their arms 20 operate inthe same manner, and it will be seen from Fig. 2 that each arm 20 is ata different elevation from every other arm. When a pad holder is removedthe plunger which has an arm that rested on the removed pad holder dropsdown behind the cam 10. The lever 13 and shaft 8 are locked againstmove- 'ment and cannot be moved until the pad holder is shoved back intoits position in the casing. The semaphore thus cannot be cleared fromdanger until the pad holder is put back into the box or casing. It willbe noted that the semaphore cannot be cleared until all the pad holdersare replaced in the casing. This is because the shaft 8 cannot be turnedas long as a plunger 19 is down behind the cam 10. lVhen a pad holder isreplaced the shoulder 21 of the pad holder engages the under bend of thearm 20 and thus lifts the arm and also the plunger 19 upward, releasingthe shaft 8, and at the same time the pad holder engages the beveledportion of the lock 5 and depresses the same until the pad holder passesfar enough for the slot 23 to come over the lock 5 which lock is thenlifted by the spring 22 so that the lock catches in the slot 23. Thelock 5 will yield downwards by reason of its pivotal connection with theplunger 6 in a slot in said plunger and by reason of the spring 22. Theloo: 5 will not move higher than its normal position because it has ashoulder 38 which comes against the plunger 6. When all the pad holdersare replaced in the cabinet the signal can be cleared. In practice, whena despatcher receives a call to take an order he has first to operatethe lever 13. This puts the semaphore at danger and at the same timeunlocks the pad holders. He can then remove any of the pad holders whichcarry the order pads.

At times there may be more orders than for one train. There may beorders for several trains. I have provided means for temporarilyclearing the semaphores so that one or more trains may pass. A shaft24'. is journaled in the cabinet and provided with a lever 39. Eachplunger 19 is provided with a lug 26. All the lugs 26 are in the samehorizontal plane. The shaft it is provided with a lift 25 which isadapted to engage all the lugs 26 and when this shaft is rocked by thelever 29 all the plungers 19 will be elevated, unlocking the cam .19. sothat the shaft 8 may be operated to clear the semaphore. Immediatelyafter the passage of a train the semaphore must be brought to danger ifthere is another order for a train or several orders for trains. Inorder that the despatcher may not forget to place the semaphore atdanger after the train passes I have provided an alarm which willcontinue to sound as long as the semaphore is cleared. It is understoodthat this alarm is used only in case of a temporary clearance of thesemaphore for the passage of a train when there are orders for othertrains. it will be understood that the shelves 1 are cut away for theoperation of the locks 5 so that the shelves will not interfere with theoperation of the locks.

A bell 20 is mounted in the cabinet and is electrically connected by awire 32 with a battery 30 which may be mounted in the cabinet. A contactpost 27 is mounted in the cabinet and is connected with the bell 20 by awire 3%. The shaft 24: carries an arm 28 which is provided with acontzu-ti-malzing lug 33 and this arm and its lug are electric allyconnected to the battery 30 by means of a wire 31. \Vhen the shaft 21 isturned to lift the plungers 19, the lug 33 contacts with the post 27 andcompletes a circuit through the bell 20. The bell will then ring untilthe plungers 19 are lowered by turning the shaft 24: with lever 39. Inorder to be sure that the alarm will continue until the. semaphore isput to danger, a locking arm 12 is made rigid with the shaft 8 and a lugis rigid with the shaft 21-. \Vhen shaft 21- is turned to lift theplungers, the lug 35 is turned upward and when the shaft 3 is turned tothrow the semaphore to danger the arm 12 will lock the lug 35 in theelevated position and thus hold the contacts 33 and 37 together untilthe semaphore is cleared. hen the semaphore is cleared, the arm 12releases the lug 35 and the lever 39 can then turn shaft 24- and stopthe alarm and let the plungers 19 down to lock the shaft 8.

A guard 40 is attached to the side of the cabinet for the levers 13 and39 and this guard is provided with shoulders 11 and 42 for the lever 13and shoulders and -14 for the lever 39. The lever 13 is jointed forconvenience in operating the same with reference to the guard 40. Thehandle 1-5 carries a spring actuated plunger it) which will engage theside of the cabinet to hold the handle 39 atthe desired position.

Having fully described my invention, what -coarse I claim as new anddesire to secure byLet-l cabinet, a semaphore, means for throwing saidsemaphore to danger and simultaneously unlocking all of saidpadholders', and a series of plungers any one of which is adapted tolock said semaphore to danger when a pad is removed.

2. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet, a series ofshelves mounted in said cabinet, 2. 'sreies of pad holders mounted onsaid shelves, a cam-actuated plunger carrying means for locking allofsaid holders in said cabinet, asemaphore and means for actuating saidsemaphore and simultaneously unlocking all of said pad holders wherebyany one or all of said pad holders may be removed. l

3. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a cam actuated plunger carrying means for lookingall of said holders insaid cabinet, a semaphore, means for actuatingsaid semaphore and simultaneously unlocking all of said padhold'ers, anda series of plungers, one for eachpad holder, for looking said semaphoreactuating means when any one or more of said pad holders is are removedfrom said cabinet.

4. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a plunger carrying locks pivoted thereto forengaging said pad holders, a semaphore,

and means for actuating'said semaphore and simultaneously unlocking allof said pad holders whereby any one or all of said pad holders may beremoved.

5. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a plunger "carrying locks pivoted thereto forengaging said pad holders, a semaphore, means including a rocker shaftfor actuating said semaphore and simultaneously unlocking said" padholders, and a series of plun gers, one for each pad holder, for lockingsaid shaft against movement when any one or more of said pad holders isor are removed from said cabinet.

6. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad hold ers, each pad holder having provisions for holding apad therein and having a slot in the back end thereof, a plungercarrying locks pivoted thereto for engaging said pad holders in saidslots, and means formoving said plunger to unlock all of said pad hold.-ers simultaneously.

7. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containinga'series of pad holders, each pad holder having provisions for holding apad therein and having a slot in ing a cabinet containing a series ofpad ho1ders therein and means for locking said pad holders within saidcabinet comprising a' plunger, hooks pivotally mounted in said plungerand provided with shoulders to prevent upward movement of the hooks andsprings attached to said plunger and holding said hooks in their normalpositions.

9. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a plunger carrying locks pivoted thereto forengaging said pad holders, a spring holding said plunger in its normalposition, and a shaft carrying a cam for actuating said plunger to'unlock said pad holders.

10.A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a plunger carrying hooks pivoted thereto forlocking said pad holders in said cabinet, a spring holding said plungerin its normal position, a semaphore, and a shaft provided with a cam fordepressing said plunger, said shaft operating at the same time to throwsaid semaphore to danger.

pad holders, a shaft having cams integral therewith, anda series ofplungers having arms resting on said pad holders, said plungers beingadapted to fall whenever a pad holder is removed and to lock said shaftagainst movement.

12. A train order signaling device comprising a series of pad holders, aplunger carrying locks pivoted thereto for engaging said pad holders, arocker shaft carrying means for depressing said plunger, cams formed onsaid shaft, a series of plungers,

each liaving an arm resting on a pad holder whereby said series ofplungers are held in their normal positions and said plungers be ingadapted to lock said shaft against rocking motion whenever one or morepads are removed from said locks.

13. A tram order signaling device contaming a series of pad holders,means for locking said pad holders in their normal positions, a seriesof plungers having arms resting on said pad holders whereby saidplungers are supported in an elevated position, a lock for said seriesof plungers, and means for unlocking said pad holders.

14:. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a plunger carrying locks pivoted thereto forengaging said pad holders, a series of locking plungers having armsresting on said pad holders, a shaft for actuating I said firstnamedplunger and provided with a locking cam whereby said shaft is lockedagainst rocking motion when a pad holder is removed from said cabinet,and means for temporarily lifting said series of plungers.

15. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, means for locking said pad holders within saidcabinet, a semaphore, a shaft for actuating said semaphore and carryingmeans for unlocking said pad holders and having a cam rigid therewith, aseries of plungers each having an arm resting on a pad holder, saidseries of plungers being adapted to fall and engage said cam when one ormore pad holders are removed from said cabinet, and a shaft carrying alift for elevating said series of plungers to permit the operation ofsaid semaphore.

16. A train order signaling device comprising a cabinet containing aseries of pad holders, a plunger carrying locks for locking said padholders within said cabinet, means for actuating said plunger to releasesaid pad holders, a series of plungers having arms resting on said padholders, said series of plungers being adapted to fall and lock asemaphore at danger and means for temporarily elevating said series ofplungers while the semaphore is being actuated.

17. A signal actuating device comprising means for displaying signalsand locking the signals displayed and means for temporarily clearing thesignal and giving an alarm until the signal is again displayed, saidmeans consisting of a shaft carrying releasing means and carrying meansfor making electrical contact for an alarm and a lever for operatingsaid shaft.

18. A signal actuating device having means for displaying a signal,means for automatically locking the signal displayed, and means fortemporarily clearing the signal and simultaneously giving an alarm andcontinuing the alarm until the signal is again displayed consisting of ashaft provided with means for unlocking the locking means, a leverrigidly mounted on said shaft, a bell, an electric battery electricallyconnected with said bell, and means mounted on said shaft for completinga circuit when actuated by said lever.

19. A signal actuating device having means for displaying a signal,means for automatically locking the signal displayed, means fortemporarily clearing the signal and simultaneously giving an alarm andcontinuing the alarm until the signal is again displayed, and means forpreventing the stopping of the alarm until the signal is againdisplayed.

20. A signal actuating device comprising a cabinet containing padholders, a plunger carrying devices for locking said pad holders in saidcabinet, a semaphore actuating shaft carrying a cam for actuating saidplunger to release said pad holders, and a series of plungers supportedby said pad holders, any one or all of which being adapt:- ed, when anyor all of the pad holders are removed from said cabinet, to lock saidshaft against movement.

21. A signal actuating device comprising a cabinet containing padholders, a plunger carrying devices for locking said pad holders in saidcabinet, a semaphore actuating shaft carrying a cam for actuating saidplunger to release said pad holders, a series of pl ungers supported bysaid pad holders, any one or all of which being adapted, on the removal.of any or all of said pad holders, to lock said shaft against movement,a. shaft for operating said last named plungers and provided with meansfor actuating an alarm, and an alarm to be automatically sounded by saidlast named shaft.

22. A signal actuating device comprising a cabinet containing padholders, :1 plunger carrying devices for locking said pad holders insaid cabinet, a semaphore actuating shaft carrying a cam for actuatingsaid plunger to release said pad holders, a series of plungers supportedby said pad holders, any one or all of which being adapted, on theremoval of any or all of said pad holders, to lock said shaft againstmovement, a shaft carrying means for lifting said series of plungers fortemporarily clearing signals. a bell, electrical means for actuatingsaid bell, and means carried by said last named shaft for sounding saidbell automatically on the clearing of the signals.

23. A signal actuating device comprising a cabinet containing padholders, a plunger carrying devices for locking said pad holders in saidiabinet, a semaphore actuating shaft carrying means for actuating saidplunger. a series of plungers supported by said pad holders, any one orall of which being adapted, on the removal of any or all of said padholders, to lock said shaft against movement, a lifting shaft foractuating said series of plungers, a bell, an electric batteryelectrically connected to said bell, a contact post electricallyconnected to said bell, an arm *arried by said lifting shaft forcompleting a circuit through said bell, and llltlllS carried by saidshafts whereby said semaphore actuating shaft will lock said liftingshaft while an alarm is being sounded.

2a. A signal actuating device comprising a cabinet containing padholders, a plunger carrying devices for locking said pad holders in saidcabinet, a semaphore actuating shaft carrying means for actuating saidplunger, a series of plungers supported by said pad holders, any one orall of which being adapted, on the removal of one or all of said padholders, to lock said shaft against movement, a lifting shaftforactuating said series of plungers, electrical devices for sounding analarm automatically actuated by said lifting shaft, and means carried bysaid lifting shaft and by said semaphore acuating shaft whereby saidlifting shaft is automatically locked by said semaphore actuating shaftwhile an alarm is being sounded. t c i 25. A signal actuating devicehaving means for displaying signals and locking the signal displayed,and means for temporarily clearing the signal and at the same timegiving an alarm and continuin the alarm until the signal is again dislaye consisting ofa releasing yoke, a sha t carrying said yoke, saidshaft carrying means for making electrical contact for an alarm, and alever operating said shaft.

26. A signal actuating device having means for displaying a signal,means for automatically lockingthe signal displayed, and means fortemporarily clearing the signal and simultaneously giving an alarm andcontinuing the alarm until the signal is again displayed consisting of ayoke for lifting the locking means provided with a shaft, a leverrigidly mounted on said shaft, a bell, an electric battery electricallyconnected with said bell, contacts electrically connected with said belland said battery, and means mountedon said shaft for completing acircuit when actuated by said lever.

27. A signal actuating device having means for displaying a signal,means for auto-1 matically locking the signal displayed,means fortemporarily clearmg the signal and simultaneously giving an alarm andcontinuing the alarm until the signal is again displayed, and means forpreventing the stopping of the alarm until the signal is displayed.

28. t A signal actuating device having means for displayingsignals, aseries of dogs for locking said signals displayed, means for temporarilyclearing the signal consisting of a releasing yoke and means foroperating said yoke to lift said dogs, and means operatingsimultaneously with said yoke to give an alarm and to continue the alarmuntil the signal is again displayed.

29. A signal actuating device having means for displaying a signal,means for automatically locking the signal displayed, means fortemporarily clearing the signal and simultaneously giving an alarm andcontinuing the alarm until the signal is again displayed, and means forpreventing the stopping of the alarm until the si al is displayedconsisting of a cam provided with a shoulder for'locking the means whichgive the alarm.

30. A train order signalin device comprising a cabinet, a series 0 padholders ocked in said cabinet, a semaphore, means for throwing saidsemaphore to danger and simultaneously unlocking all of said padholders, and a series of plungers any one of which is adapted to locksaid semaphore to danger when a pad holder is removed.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses,this 25th day of March, 1908.

" LUTHER H. VAN ZANDT.

Witnesses: a

A. L. JACKSON, J. W. STITT.

